Riverdale: The Heart of the Matter
by Forgotten Conscience
Summary: Valentine's Day is upon us and Betty Cooper is trying to figure out what to write to someone special. Part of Wattpad's @WattRiverdale Cupid's Note Challenge. Part of my Beronica series.
1. The Heart of the Matter

**Riverdale: The Heart of the Matter**

_All I have to do is write something. But the question is... what?_

I lean forward, trying to will myself to put something on the paper in front of me but my hand doesn't actually move.

_It's not like I actually know anything. It's all just speculation at this point. But then again the evidence is piling up. I mean, how else am I supposed to take what's happened in the past year or so? The weird acid trip I had with the kiss, the Santa thing, and the way she looked when I showed up to her party and the way our conversation was going before we were interrupted?_

I sit back in my chair at the blue and gold, taking a deep breath.

_Not to mention the weird vision thing that blonde girl made us have. I still have no idea who she is, what she was doing there or how she made us see what we saw. But I can't just ignore the evidence, can I? Clearly, something is going on between us. There's definitely not nothing going on. _

Again I lean forward, trying to force myself to write something down but nothing actually happens.

_I just don't have any idea what that something is. And I think the only thing that will help me figure it out is to actually have a conversation with her. To make sure it's not just all in my head. I'm pretty sure it's mutual but I don't actually know because we can't seem to actually sit down and talk about it. The last time we tried, we were interrupted by someone putting blood in our drinks. _

Sitting back in my chair again, I lick my lips at memory of the taste of it in my mouth.

_I can still taste it sometimes... or at least it feels like I can. That bitter, coppery taste of some random person's blood, unless it wasn't random at all and someone put a specific person's blood in it. All the lab could figure out is that it was definitely from more than one person. But the big question still is, why? _

_And why leave that note in it? _

I look over on the board where the note is pinned.

_'To my OG OTP, B and V. May this cleansing help you find your way to each other.'_

_Clearly, whoever sent it to us thinks V and I are an item, or that we're supposed to be. Could that be what all this is about? Could all the weird things that are happening to us be part of some weirdo's sick desire to see us together? _

_I'm not sure how to feel about that. I don't want to be a pawn in someone else's game, but at the same time I can't deny whatever it is that has changed the way I feel about Veronica. I do feel something, there's no going back from that. _

_I'll just have to hope that this sicko had a one time thing and it's all over now. _

"Don't pout cousin, it'll give you wrinkles."

I look up to see Cheryl standing there in a red ridiculous outfit, even by her standards.

"Cheryl, what are you doing here?"

She gives me a weird look.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm Cupid!"

She twirls in her deep red cupid's outfit with the wings and halo and bow and arrow and everything.

_She looks absolutely ridiculous. _

"Riverdale High's own resident match maker."

It takes me a second to answer.

"You?"

"Well it occurred to me that being so ridiculously happy with my love bug TT that I should try and spread that love around so everyone can be as happy as me. So when Weatherby asked me to be the Valentine's deliverer of Love, how could I say no?"

I watch her suspiciously for a second.

"If you say so."

"And with that in mind, here."

Cheryl sets the basket she's come in with on the table in front of me.

"Who knew the resident Salinger could be such a Casanova?"

_Juggie sent me a Valentine's gift?_

I lean forward, inspecting the red and pink package in front of me.

_He's not really one for grand gestures. But..._

I take the card off the package and read it.

_'To Betty, _

_Go where you know your heart is taking you. _

_From your Valentine.'_

"Why wouldn't he just sign it himself?"

Cheryl seems to have the answer.

"He's being romantic... open it."

Again I look at Cheryl and her weird look of excitement.

_Toni really has made her crazy. _

After looking over the package one more time to see if there's an obvious way to open it, I just tear into the wrapping and open the box.

_Oh my god..._

I stand up as I see what's inside.

"What the hell Cheryl?"

Cheryl peeks into the package and then immediately steps back a few steps.

"That... that wasn't me. I... I have no idea how that got there. I just... deliver the packages. I don't have anything to do with who sent it."

Leaning over the package myself, I examine the bloody and very real looking heart.

_Someone sent this as a gift? Who would do such a thing?_

"This town is sick. I mean, really...who would send you a human heart?"

_Good question, and is it the same person who had blood put in our drinks? Could this be one of the hearts that the blood came from? Wait, is that..._

I reach forward and pull at the toothpick stuck in it, a small piece of paper coming with it.

"Of course your first instinct when you get a heart in a box is to touch it."

_I think I see something on the paper but the blood is making it hard. _

Taking the paper off the toothpick, I notice it's in a bag and take the note out.

"What does it say?"

"I need to talk to Veronica."

"Be each other's Valentines or face the consequences? What does that even mean?"

I can only shrug at the simple questions Veronica is asking.

"I don't know V, but do we really want to find out? I mean, at Christmas this person spiked our drinks with blood and called it a cleansing. Now I get what looks like a human heart in a box for Valentine's addressed to both of us? Whoever is doing this clearly means business."

She looks down at the heart on the table and doesn't say anything for a while.

"You're right. I don't want to be pissing off anyone who has easy access to human body parts. No matter how they got a hold of it."

_Well at least we're on the same page. _

"Neither do I."

There's a long silence between us.

_This isn't exactly how I was expecting anything to change between us. I was hoping we'd actually talk and make sure we're on the same page first. _

I look down at the heart between us before bringing my focus back to Veronica.

"I know it's awkward and things have been weird between us but we have to do this."

I reach out my hand to halfway between us, offering mine to her.

"Veronica Lodge... will you be my Valentine?"

Another long pause happens between us before she takes my hand in hers. She smiles playfully at me but I can feel the uncertainty in how weak her grip is.

"Absolutely Betty Cooper... it would be my pleasure."

I can't help but look down at her hand in mine and there's a static charge between us. It makes every part of my body tingle. Our eyes meet and I can see the same feelings in her eyes.

_Oh my god..._

_It's all falling into place. _

I can't help but feel very satisfied with myself as I sit back and look over what's in front of me.

_I knew if I could just get them to spend some real time with each other, something would happen. And it did. _

Leaning forward I pick up one of the photos in front of me, it brings a smile to my face. Betty and Veronica walking outside, holding each other's hands.

_They care too much for each other for it to be just friendship. They try to hide it but it's there. _

I pick up another picture, this one less public. B and V at Pop's, sitting in a booth together, right next to each other instead of on opposite sides of the booth. Veronica is whispering in Betty's ear and there's a big smile on Betty's face, probably because of what's being said.

_They buried it so long that even they were confused about what it was between them. But I could see it. I just had to get them to see it. Which I think they finally have. _

Setting down both photos, I turn my attention to another one of them together. This one of them on the couch in the student lounge, alone. Betty is lying back with Veronica snuggled up to her. Both of them with a very intense look on their faces.

_Of course, this could all be for show. They've known about me since Christmas and figured out I'm watching them since I sent them that Valentine's gift. It could all be an act to throw me off. _

I set the photo down and sit back again, looking over all the pictures in front of me.

_I'll have to figure out a way to find out. _

**End **


	2. Author's Note

If you liked this piece, be sure to check out some of the other stories.

Here's a list of how the story works, continuity wise:

Riverdale: Pandora's Box

Riverdale: Double Take

Riverdale: Merry Christmas Veronica Lodge

Riverdale: Signs

Riverdale: Cocktails

**Riverdale: The Heart of the Matter**

Riverdale: Drinking Game

Riverdale: Blurred Lines

Riverdale: The Perfect Break Up

Riverdale: Make You Feel Your Love

Feel free to check out the other parts of the story.


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